Body Language

If your character has some aspects that you don’t like, change your attitude.

As your attitude changes so do your actions.

Three Main Types of Posture......................................................................

Although you have a repertoire of different postures you can adopt, you tend

to prefer one to the others. You may prefer to sit, others may prefer to stand,

whereas still others are quite happy to spend their time lying down. You can

become so associated with one particular posture that people who know you

well can recognise you from a distance by the way you use your body. Your

posture is a clue to who you are and opens the door to understanding your

character and personality.

For example, the person who holds herself erectly has a different tempera-

ment from a habitual sloucher.

The three main types of postures are:

Standing

Sitting (including squatting and kneeling)

Reclining

Within this limited list, you can display your mood and temperament by the

way you hold yourself and position your head, arms, and legs. People who

slouch give the impression of being dull, uninterested, or lacking in confi-

dence. People who hold themselves upright appear to be engaged, energised,

and alert.

Standing ...............................................................................................

Some people are happy to stand. This position enables them to think and

move more quickly than if they had to pull themselves out of a chair or get

out of bed.

At cocktail parties and other similar events people tend to stand. This

enables them to walk towards someone they want to engage with and move

away from someone they’d rather not get cornered by.

Because moving toward and away from someone or something is easier from

the standing position, it’s considered to be a more active position than sitting

or lying down.

114 Part III: The Trunk: Limbs and Roots